Abstract:

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will develop an advanced thermoelectric generator (TEG) that will improve the overall efficiency of 100-kW class generator sets (gensets). Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc. (ACT) proposes a novel thermoelectric generation system to convert exhaust heat into useful electrical energy. The current exhaust recovery systems operate in the low-temperature range (less than 150 degrees C) and are poorly designed in three aspects: 1) heat extraction; 2) heat conversion; and 3) heat removal. The propose technology will address these shortcomings with innovative heat transfer components and packaging design. To improve device efficiency, multiple thermal barriers are removed from the thermoelectric junctions. For integration, the proposed FoHM-TEG concept will provide robust and efficient power conversion in a small package that can fit into slightly modified genset enclosures. These measures will allow the proposed design to improve the overall genset efficiencies by 2.6%.